Widening Participation Unit

LEAP - Rural Students University Experience

The LEAP - Rural Students University Experience program brings over 40 students and their teachers from eight rural/remote NSW schools to Sydney annually to spend a day on the Macquarie University North Ryde campus. The aim is to "demystify" university by familiarising students with the learning environment
that university offers. In 2015, the day involved interactive and informative sessions which included history, science and psychology workshops, and a hip-hop dance class.

These activities were broken up with a campus tour as well as visits to both Dunmore Lang and Robert Menzies colleges, via the new University Avenue pathway, where students experienced dorm life and heard from current students about support options.

This experience has been running successfully since 2010 and is funded under the Australian Government's Higher Education Participation Program (HEPP). The annual four day visit is in partnership with the Country Education Foundation of Australia (CEFA) and includes a day on another university campus
(University of Technology, Sydney 2010 - 2014 and the Australian Catholic University 2015).

The 2015 event saw another successful day on campus with over 60 students and teachers experiencing 'a day in the life' at Macquarie University.

The participating schools include;

Balranald Central School,

Bombala High School,

Boorowa Central School,

Coonamble High School,

Moree Secondary College,

Murrumburrah High School,

Ungarie Central School and

West Wyalong High School.

Program for 2015 Rural Students University Experience

9.15am – 10am

Welcome to Country and
Smoking Ceremony

10am – 10.45am

Faculty Activity 1 – all students

Australian History Museum NSW curriculum-aligned activity

10.45am – 11am

Morning Tea

11.15am – 12.15pm

Faculty Activity 2 – choice of one out of two activities:

Option 1: Psychology – Memory workshop

Option 2: Interactive Science Show

Option 3: Indigenous activity with Warawara staff

12.30 – 1.45pm

Lunch and tour of
Dunmore Lang College

1.45pm – 2pm

Campus tour

2 – 3pm

Tour of Sport and Aquatic Centre followed by Dance workshop

3pm

Students explore Macquarie Centre supervised by accompanying school staff

5.20 – 6.30pm

Dinner and tour of Robert Menzies College

Macquarie has opened the eyes and minds of hundreds of rural students through its continued support of the Foundation.

Country Education Foundation of Australia CEO Sarah Taylor

"The difference it makes to these kids is incredible," she said. "For many it's the turning point and a realisation there are opportunities out there they either hadn't considered, or hadn't considered possible. On behalf of the kids, their teachers, parents, schools and communities I wish to thank
the staff and students of Macquarie for making this possible."